General Facts About the South African Apartheid
South Africa
South African is located at the southernmost region of Africa, with a long coastline that stretches more than 2,500 kilometer. The interior consists of almost flat plateaus with high altitudes. The South Atlantic and Indian Ocean both surround South Africa. Its climate is subtropical, although it's very dry. South Africa is a Federal State, compiled of a national government and nine provincial governments. The population reaches about 51.77 million consisting of white, black, and asian people. Pretoria is the capital of South Africa, and the currency used there is rands. The Apartheid An apartheid is a system of racial segregation and discrimination. The South African apartheid discriminated between Africans and Americans in South Africa. The apartheid took place from 1948-1991. The first part of the apartheid legislation was the Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act (1949). This act hindered interracial marriages. The next act was the Population Registration Act of 1950. This act classified South Africans into four racial groups based on appearance: "black," "white," "colored," and "Indian." The apartheid sparked significant internal and domestic conflict. Those who opposed the apartheid formed the African National Congress, (ANC) which began fighting the unfair laws. In 1990 a prominent ANC leader, named Nelson Mandela, was released from detention. The president at the time, F. W. de Klerk, released him in fear of a racial civil war. After 27 years in prison, Nelson Mandela was freed and went on to negotiate the end of the apartheid. The apartheid was abolished in 1991 and a multiracial election was held in 1994. Nelson Mandela was elected president and served from 1994-1999. He later passed away in December of 2013. Sources: Mafika. "South Africa: Fast Facts." Brand South Africa. N.p., 9 Nov. 2012. Web. 03 Feb. 2017. "Apartheid." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 03 Feb. 2017. Mafika. "South Africa's Geography." Brand South Africa. N.p., 02 June 2016. Web. 03 Feb. 2017. |